ASSASINS OR WICKED? Who will take the Tony?- Page 4

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 3:03pm

Robbie - I agree - its a great show and a fun evening of theatre - but I personally don't think its "Best Musical" calibre..

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 3:30pm

from what i have heard of it on the cast recording, avenu q's songs are damn brilliant in their simplicity. the songs sound like they were written by a renegade writor who lost his job at sesame street, and decided to write a story which represents an entire generation, but never tries to hard to... i dont know, "act it's age" so-to-speak, which is also a good representation of the people (and puppets) it portrays. the joke is that it isnt supposed to be serious, it is hillarius, but has a natural dramatic undertone, which is completely unforced, and also hillarius. the creaters are completely aware of how riddiculous the concept is, and they seem to use that to their advantage.

wicked is a fun night at the theater, but judging by the recording alone, avenu q is more "best musical calibre" than that show anyday.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 3:34pm

NYstateofmind - I agree completely - anything is better than Wicked at the moment - its just dull and uninteresting to me.

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 3:42pm

NY,

I'm not gonna disagree with you. What the writers set out to do, they did very well. I understand the simplicity, almost banality, of the score. You won't get a fight from me. I'm just confused why everyone calls it 'innovative.'

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 3:57pm

well i dont know if thats the word either... i've used "fresh" before. it's not really the same thing. "fresh" implys that it is unlike anything else, and avenu q isnt really.

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 10:45pm

Keep in mind there is a large percentage of an older demographic that is offended by a lot of Ave Q. Oh well. What are ya gonna do? Some people have their belts too tight. Can't please everyone. Send them off to Mamma Mia.

[Plum]

Posted: 4/30/04 at 11:15pm

I think I like the word "fresh" as well. You're right, Avenue Q doesn't do anything revolutionary to the musical form. But it's definitely fresh, and fun, and I like that.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 6:41am

There is a gentle sweetness to AVENUE Q. It's both sophisticated and innocent, despite the wonderfully snarky and adult humor and flashes of dark, even bitter insight (Gary's statement of his 'purpose', for instance). And there is nothing mean spirited about it - and its finale is surprisingly clear headed and unsentimental.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 7:44am

"Keep in mind there is a large percentage of an older demographic that is offended by a lot of Ave Q."

A LARGE percentage? Is that anyone else's perception, as well? I didn't really notice anyone, save the parents who brought their 8-year-olds to see a "puppet show", looking especially uncomfortable...

[Corine2]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:19am

I didn't find anything about Avenue Q offensive.
It was just very appealing.
I hope it wins many Tony Awards. I also hope Robert and Jeff bring Kermit Prince Of Denmark to Broadway next season.
Updated On: 5/1/04 at 09:19 AM

[mominator]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:27am

iflitifloat, you're right there are ALOT of people who would be offended by Ave. Q. Being a person who is of "a certain" age (I just turned 41 yesterday!!) My husband and I are sooo looking forward to seeing this show on our anniversary (5/21). We remember being young and out of school and broke all the time.Now we can look back and laugh because now our oldest is leaving home and just hitting all this poop and shout "SCHADENFREUDE!!" and just like us she'll make it through as well.

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 1:48am

I didn't say that EVERYONE feels like Avenue Q is offensive. But how many people had pissed off people sitting next to them? I love it! But the couple next to me were writing hate mail to the authors in their seats!

[DAME]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 5:46am

I had a very Republican couple sitting in front of me. I loved watching them cringe. It gave me such pleasure. Just another one of the many reasons I love Avenue Q.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:16am

mom...my point, actually, was that I *didn't* find that many people to be offended. The "blue" material is done in such a good-natured manner, that people...like *my* mom...tend to go with the flow, giggle, and feel like they were living on the edge for a couple of hours. There are a couple...okay, a few....cringe-worthy line IF you happen to be a cringer (the line "and I can't wait to eat her p**** again" at the end of Girlfriend in Canada comes to mind...I always have to remember to turn the CD player down at work when that song comes on...), but all-in-all, I don't think this show is tipping the scale on the "Offense-O-Meter".